Sadly, I’ve not had much luck in the past finding a really good recipe for said buns. My go-to version for years was more of a compromise. It was good enough – and waaay better than any store-bought version, except for maybe Trader Joe’s brioche buns because oh lordie! – but the recipe didn’t excite me.

This was wholly due to the fact that no matter what I did, the proofed dough spread out and yielded flat-ish buns. Case in point with these veggie burgers. I made sure to not allow the dough to overproof. I re-rolled the dough before the last rise. I was careful to not push down on the dough when I brushed the tops with butter before baking. Nothing worked.

So last summer, I decided that enough was enough with these lackluster buns. And I went off in a direction I wasn’t expecting to go: potato burger buns.

Now, if you’ve not had them, you need to get on this train! The potato buns of my childhood were a bit of a luxury; if they were on sale and mom had a coupon, she would buy them. They’re big, soft, squishy buns…and taste nothing like potatoes. I have always adored them. Kyle? Not so much.

And I don’t know why – he couldn’t put his finger on the…ahem…beef he had with them. (sorry.) So I threw all caution to the wind last summer, made these potato burger buns when he wasn’t around – basically sneaking the potatoes into the recipe – and he absolutely loved them. He bragged about them to our friends: “Did you know Tara MADE these buns? Yeah, she make hamburger buns too!”

Admittedly, these buns don’t quite resemble the potato buns of my childhood – maybe because this homemade version isn’t tinted yellow? – but they are soft, squishy, and downright delicious. You just cannot beat the taste or texture of homemade bread and these potato burger buns will just rock your grilling season.

Potato Burger Buns

Prep Time: 35min (active) + 1hr to 1hr 20min (inactive)

Cook Time: 15-18min

Yield: 9 large buns

Notes

I doubled this recipe without any issues for a 4th of July party we hosted last year. The leftovers were sliced then frozen for burgers at a later time.

Instructions

01

Cover the potatoes with water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer 5 tablespoons of the potato water to a bowl then drain the potatoes and return them to the hot saucepan. Over low heat, cook the potatoes while shaking to remove the surface moisture, about 1 minute.

Process the potatoes with a food mill or ricer (or mash well with a masher – they should be very smooth) into the saucepan. Measure out 1 cup of potatoes, add to a medium bowl and mix in the butter until melted. Throw a kitchen towel or some foil over the bowl to keep the potatoes warm.

02

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the warm potatoes and mix with your hands until combined. Mix in 1 egg and the reserved potato water with the dough hook attachment and continue to mix on low speed until the dough is soft and a little sticky, about 8-10 minutes. The dough should still be warm.

03

Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Lightly grease the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, coating it lightly in the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in volume, about 30-40 minutes. Very warm kitchens will require less time.

04

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into an 8-inch square, and cut the square into 9 equal pieces; separate the pieces and cover them loosely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top.

Working with one at a time, roll the dough rounds into a tight balls and return them to the work surface under the plastic wrap; allow them to rest for 15 minutes.

05

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Firmly press each dough round into a 3 ½-inch disk, pushing out large pockets of air from the dough. Line the disks up on the baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to proof at room temperature until almost doubled in size, another 30-40 minutes. While the dough proofs, preheat the oven to 425° F with the racks in the two center positions of the oven.

06

In a small bowl, mix the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water. Lightly brush the tops of the dough rounds with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.

07

Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the time from top to bottom and front to back, until the buns are a deep golden brown. Transfer the pans to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes then transfer the buns to the racks to cool completely before slicing.